In district after district, GOP candidates have unleashed a barrage of press releases, emails, and ads criticizing the California congresswoman for her efforts and explicitly tying their Democratic opponents to her, often while avoiding mention of the president’s role altogether. While Obama’s work to advance health care legislation is also a target in some contests, it is Pelosi who is emerging as the face of health care reform in competitive races across the country.

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The standard approach is to characterize vulnerable Democrats as Pelosi minions or close allies. A recent press release for Republican Jeff Reetz described Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) as “Pelosi’s Benchwarmer” while Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) is said by Republican Frank Guinta to be “Pelosi’s strongest ally in the House.” In California, Republican Brad Goehring claims Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney “has voted in lockstep with Speaker Nancy Pelosi.”

In Ohio, where Republican Jim Renacci is out with a new radio ad accusing Democratic Rep. John Boccieri of “following Nancy Pelosi’s lead” on health care, the challenger claims his message is getting traction.

“It’s a pretty resonant message with the people that I meet with on a daily basis in the 16th District.” Renacci told POLITICO.

The Pelosi narrative has been applied even in situations where the connection is somewhat attenuated. Jim Ward, an Arizona Republican, asked Monday whether Rep. Harry Mitchell—one of the more conservative House Democrats—will “vote blindly with Speaker Pelosi on legislation sight unseen, or will he stand up for the best interests of his constituents?"

GOP strategists say the Pelosi association is an obvious one to highlight at a time when polling shows just 36 percent of voters view the House Speaker favorably.

“You’re seeing it all over the country,” said Wes Anderson, a veteran pollster who is advising the Republican National Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee. “She’s too big of a target to pass up.”

In an interview, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) said the House GOP campaign arm was coaching candidates to focus on the process of the health care push and, at a time when voters across the board are expressing distrust of Washington and its handling of the legislation, to home in on Pelosi’s vote-wrangling.

“Outside of Washington, all the radio and TV is about Nancy Pelosi scheduling, defining, and pushing the vote on health care. So Speaker Pelosi is the point person for the Democratic Party and the point person for the House. She’s the person who sets the agenda,” Sessions told POLITICO. “She’s taken the lead.”

“The reality is attacking Gingrich was red meat for the base and attacking Pelosi is red meat for the base,” said Democratic pollster John Anzalone. “It didn’t work. I always felt it was a waste.”

“It may motivate their base, it may work for their donors, but it doesn’t swing voters,” said Jennifer Crider, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Their entire strategy is attacking a person, rather than offering ideas.”